Seemingly overnight, Hollywood went from celebration to panic as wildfires spread through the hills. On Sunday, January 5, Nikki Glaser redeemed the Golden Globes after last year’s host, Jo Koy, made a mess of hosting. But by the time the winners woke up on January 7, the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of west Los Angeles was on fire, and as the Eaton fire in Pasadena grew the following day, the two blazes, bolstered by the Santa Ana winds, turned the town scared and smoky, and claimed two lives.
Amid the confusion and devastation, simple acts of kindness stand out all the more. Of course, the hard-working men and women of the fire department are doing their jobs diligently and courageously. Seth McFarlane’s post, while not particularly effective in combating a natural disaster, sums everyone’s feelings up nicely.
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On a personal note, when I swipe through Instagram Stories right now, almost everyone who isn’t in an evacuation zone is offering their couch to any friend who is.
Hardly an institutional solve (maybe I just have really cool friends), but never let anyone tell you Los Angeles is only assholes, because there are already a number of examples of everyday citizens pitching in…
Actor Steve Guttenberg spent the morning moving abandoned cars so that fire engines could access homes in the Palisades. Ashton Kutcher was seen attempting to save a friend’s home with a garden hose.
People are picking each other up off the street, no questions asked.
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Veterinarian Annie Harvilicz put out a call Tuesday morning offering free shelter for pets whose owners were evacuating from the fires, and though she’s taken in a good number of animals, she told the L.A. Times that most of the responses she’s gotten in have been from other people volunteering to help.
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If you have a horse, these guys will get it to safety.
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Planet Fitness has emerged as a model of simple generosity. The gym chain announced on Wednesday, January 8, that all Los Angeles residents and first responders, be they members or not, are welcome to use the locations within Los Angeles County to shower, charge their devices and access Wi-Fi, per Men’s Journal. Likewise, Airbnb is offering a week of free accommodations for displaced Angelenos.
More scenes of devastation—and more acts of heroism—will surely come to light over the next few days, but for now, consider what support you can offer those around you, wherever you are.
The post Here’s to the Heroes Amid the Southern California Fires appeared first on Glamour.
